To Want, or Not to Want, that is the Question
by Yorokobi Hearts
Summary: Earl Tae Kyung has a 'fiancee' that he doesn't want to marry. But as more love triangles form, his initial thinking may soon change. A little KSWxGMN, a little JxGMN, but ultimately, HTKxGMN :D


**NOTE: WORDS IN BOLD ITALICS HOLD SPECIAL MEANING OR EXPLANATION. REFER TO FOOTNOTES AT THE END OF EACH CHAPTER.**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANY PART OF 'YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL' OR IT'S CHARACTERS.**

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><p>It is the Victorian Era, and in the far off countryside, there resides a manor house. With its gothic victorian architecture, highly polished windows and calm green backdrop, no one would imagine the ruckus going on within.<p>

"SHIN WOO! Have you turned my mattress? There's an unsightly LUMP in it!"

Hearing his name being called, the butler set down the silver he was polishing in the drawing room and pulled on his stark white gloves. Without a mumble of complaint, he started up the stairs, making sure to knock before entering his master's bedroom. "You called for me, my Lord?"

The noble glared at him from his armchair in the far corner of the room. "I don't know how I put up with you. Do you not see the mess?" Tae Kyung sneered imperiously. "THAT," he said, stabbing a finger in the direction of the four-poster king-sized bed. "Is ruining the entire pristine image of my quarters. Fix it. NOW."

Shin Woo bowed deeply. "I apologize for my negligence, my Lord. I shall attend to it with utmost haste. I will prepare **_elevenses_** after I have tidied your bedding. In the meantime, please read today's letters from London. I've left them by your desk." With that, he went about ridding Tae Kyung's mattress of the aforementioned lump.

Huffing in disgust, Tae Kyung strode over to his timber wood table and irritably shifted his inkwell, which was a few millimeters out of place. Everything was going wrong, and it was barely eleven in the morning. "It can't get any worse than this." He sighed, as he sliced the first letter open with a small knife. "An invitation to a ball from **_Baroness_** Charter, an invitation to **_Countess_** Armand's baby shower, ANOTHER invitation to **_Viscount_** Dante's summer ball… IS THERE NO END TO THESE POINTLESS EVENTS?"

"It is the **_start of summer_**, Earl Tae Kyung," Shin Woo laughed as he straightened the duvet. "These invitations are just the beginning. I shall be taking my leave now."

With another low bow, the butler left the room, leaving the earl to his personal thoughts. "There is truly no end to this," he grumbled. "Why would I…" Spotting a very much undesirable seal upon a cream envelope, Tae Kyung fingered the edge of the stiff paper, his brow furrowing.

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><p>"Wang, could you please continue where I left off polishing the silver? The earl will require his <strong><em>elevenses<em>** soon." Shin Woo straightened his tailcoat and set a teapot on the tea trolley.

After ensuring the new maid had started on her chore, he headed off back to his master's bedroom, the faint scent of Earl Grey trailing after him. Wang snuck a peek at her surroundings to make sure the butler was gone, before setting down the silver. It was eleven; the mistress was due here any minute. "I sure hope she'll survive the wrath of the Earl," she thought, as she let out a heavy breath. "Master doesn't take kindly to unexpected visitors." After deciding that there was nothing that she could possibly do to help her mistress, Wang went back to polishing the metal to a shine.

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><p>At the back of the now silent manor, the stable was not so quiet. "JOLIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! I'M HERE, DID YOU MISS MEEEEE?"<p>

Jeremy inhaled a big breath of the horsy smell as he set about brushing the mare's body in firm, gentle strokes. Jolie nudged her caretaker with her soft nose before chomping on a tuft of blond hair. "HEY! Don't eat my hair! I'll go bald at this rate," Jeremy steamed, caressing his precious locks. The horse neighed gleefully, happy at his reaction.

After completing the daily brushing, Jeremy led Jolie out from her pen and into the field. Th mare, grateful for the change of atmosphere, started to munch on a bed of wild roses. "JOLIE? DON'T DO THAT! TAE KYUNG IS GONNA KILL ME!" Jeremy grabbed his hair in horror. "NONONONO bad Jolie! Stay away." The mortified caretaker ushered the horse away from the bush, before attempting to salvage the mess.

"Jeremy!" 'I'm DEAD!' The blond squealed inwardly.

"Y-yes, Tae Kyung?" He ventured, as the Earl strode up to him.

"Don't you dare address me that way. I have a title to upkeep. Either way, we'll be expecting someone at the manor soon, and I want you to help make it hell for her." Tae Kyung ordered. "I don't want you being so sunny and nice - DON'T ARGUE WITH ME -" he snapped, as Jeremy tried to protest. "I don't want her here and I need her gone as soon as possible, understood?"

As soon as he was done, the Earl turned back where he came from, evidently frustrated. Jeremy, on the other hand, was as evidently confused. "_Her_…?"

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><p>At the very same moment, a carriage was traveling down the dirt track, a manor being it's destination. Despite the clatter of wheels and horses whinnying, the passenger could only hear her own heart thumping in her ears. "Why am I even here?" She lamented, chewing her bottom lip.<p>

"Don't do that!" Her companion screeched. "You'll ruin your lip colour. You must look perfect or you'll ruin the plan!"

Sighing, the passenger looks out the carriage window as they pass through the manor gates. "We're here."

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><p>Tae Kyung watched from his bedroom windowsill as the boxy carriage reached the front doors of the manor. "More unneeded trouble to take care of," he scowled. He exited from his room and headed down the winding staircase, just as Shin Woo arrived with the tea trolley. "Master, our guest has arrived. Are you sure it is absolutely necessary for an unpleasant welcome?" The butler queried.<p>

"Don't doubt me, Shin Woo," Tae Kyung scoffed. "Don't you dare question me that way. This woman is but another hinderance to me. She's going to ruin all the plans I've prepared for the company. Why do I have to marry her? This is ridiculous; I can manage the company fine without any help."

Shin Woo sighed as he wheeled the trolley into the room. "Please leave the tour of the manor to me, my Lord. I will bring our guest up after I have brought her around. In the meantime, please savour today's Earl Grey and scones with apricot jam and clotted cream on the side." As his servant left, Tae Kyung retreated back to the room. Seating himself at his desk once more, he leafed through the letters again. Sipping his tea, he read through the letter his mother had sent him:

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><p><em>Earl Tae Kyung,<em>

_After leaving the family company in your hands for the past two years, I have realised that you are still not competent enough to handle the stress and duties as the head of the corporation._

_As such, I have decided that you are in need of someone who will be able to aid you in leading the company to greater heights. I will send down a lady of fine character and poise to the manor; be sure to give her the welcome she deserves. She will serve as your right hand as well as your fiancee. If she reports any unsatisfactory behaviour, I will ensure that your inheritance is decreased._

_The aforementioned lady will be arriving on Monday at eleven O' clock. I leave any further details about her for you to find out from the lady herself._

_Signed,_

**_Duchess Mo Hwa Ran_**

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><p><em>"'<em>Find out from the lady herself'?" Tae Kyung scoffed. "I won't let her be here long enough to find out anything." Flinging the letter and envelope into the waste bin, he glanced over at the grandfather clock near the wall. Eleven exactly; at least she was punctual. But how exactly could he get rid of her without compromising his inheritance?

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><p>Outside the manor doors, Shin Woo smartly straightened his attire once more; this was his master's future bride. If Duchess Mo Hwa Ran had specially selected this lady, she's was sure to be comparable to Master Tae Kyung's looks. "But hopefully without the temper." Shin Woo thought to himself as he went to open the carriage door.<p>

"Welcome to Master Hwang Tae Kyung's manor, my Lady," he said, bowing, as he held his hand out for her.

"Don't just sit there, get out!" A voice hissed from inside.

Shin Woo managed to stifle a laugh as the voice continued to berate. After a short pause, there was a loud sigh, and a lady stepped out, placing a small hand on Shin Woo's. When she'd stepped onto the stone path, she gave him a small curtsey and genteel 'thank you'. Shin woo glanced up from his forty-five degree bow, hoping to catch a glimpse of this well-mannered woman.

But to his disappointment, her face was overshadowed with a large brimmed hat, as well as a dark veil across the upper part of her porcelain visage. All that was visible was her blood red lips, an angular jaw and the tip of her nose.

Collecting himself, Shin Woo straightened. "This way, my Lady," he said, leading the way into the manor.

The woman stood where she was for a brief moment, observing the place that was to be her home for the next few months or so. The butler paused mid-step, noticing her hesitation. Taking the opportunity to observe her, he glanced at her clothing - a deep blue dress that covered all the way to her ankles billowed at the waist, with a matching hat and black veil that covered most of her dark hair. in contrast, her gloves were a bleached white.

"She has good taste," Shin Woo remarked to himself.

"HI SHIN WOO! WHATCHA... Oh." Shin Woo froze. Steeling himself, he dragged a stunned Jeremy to the side.

"My Lady, this is our... ahem, caretaker, Jeremy. He attends to the garden, stable, and up-keeping of the manor as a whole." He said, hoping he didn't sound as mortified as he felt. Jeremy's first impression was less than ideal.

"Yes, how do you do, **_Mr. Jeremy_**?" The lady queried politely.

"Wow, you're so nice! I like her already!" Jeremy beamed happily. No one had ever addressed him as '**_Mr. Jerem_**_**y**'_ before.

The lady felt her lips curve upwards as Shin Woo ushered Jeremy away nervously with the caretaker waving goodbye, a trowel in hand. The butler gave an embarrassed cough as he bowed in a apology for the second time that day. "My deepest regrets for the interruption, my Lady. Please follow me."

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><p>Earl Tae Kyung sighed for the gabillionth time that morning. No matter how much he schemed and planned, there seemed to be no way he could be rid of his fiancee, yet at the same time retain his inheritance. The only way he could see was for her to fall for someone else and propose to his mother that the engagement be annulled. But in this lonely countryside there were only two other options - Shin Woo or Jeremy. "It cannot be helped," he said, shaking his head. "As long as I am free of her, either one of those two will do. She must be classy enough to be even worthy of me; whoever of the two she goes with should be happy!"<p>

He strode over to his window once more; how does she look like anyway? Maybe she would be Shin Woo's type. Or Jeremy's.

Alas, her hat and dress were all he could see from the windowsill. "Why am I even bothering about this anyway?" He huffed, annoyed with himself at being unable to concentrate on his work. Turning his attention back on the trading deed he was examining, Tae Kyung immersed himself in the company's matters, forgetting about his new fiancee.

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><p><strong><span>Footnotes:<span>**

**_Elevenses_: A light, mid-morning snack similar to afternoon tea, but for the time at which it is consumed.**

**_Baroness, Countess and Viscount_: The hierarchy or peerage of then British nobles, with Duke/Duchess holding the highest peerage after the Queen, followed by Marquess/Marchioness, Earl/Countess, Viscount/Viscountess and Baron/Baroness.**

**_Start of summer_: During the summer, many balls are held as an opportunity for the noble to relax. Think of it as summer holiday parties.**

**_Duchess Mo Hwa Ran_: It is possible in old Britain, that even family members hold different levels of peerage. In this case, Mo Hwa Ran holds a position higher than Tae Kyung.**

**_Mr. Jeremy_: Servants are seldom addressed in such a formal way. Some are not even addressed by their real names, but by the positions they hold. Usually only those who have served the family long enough will be called by their names.**

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><p><strong>THANKS FOR READING GUYS! PLEASE REVIEW AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK; THIS IS MY FIRST K-DRAMA FF! MY FAVE IS SHIN WOO BTW HAHAHAHAHA. :D<strong>


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